Two NASA astronauts who were unexpectedly stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months have completed an intense 45-day rehabilitation program to readjust to Earth’s gravity.
Butch Wilmore (62) and Sunita “Suni” Williams (59) returned to Earth in March 2025 after their mission—originally a planned eight-day test flight aboard Boeing’s Starliner—was dramatically extended due to technical failures with the spacecraft.
Upon landing, both astronauts experienced severe physical symptoms, including extreme fatigue, muscle atrophy, and bone density loss. Williams reportedly struggled to get out of bed for weeks, while Wilmore began suffering neck pain before even exiting the capsule.
“Gravity stinks for a period,” Williams said. “That period varies for different people, but eventually you get over those neurovestibular balance type of issues.”
Living in microgravity for months causes significant bodily changes. NASA experts say astronauts lose the thick calluses on their feet, experience heart shrinkage, and struggle with balance, dizziness, and muscle degeneration after long missions.
Both astronauts spent over two hours per day working with NASA’s strength and conditioning specialists to rebuild their stamina.
A Test Flight Gone Wrong
Launched in June 2024, the Boeing Starliner mission was meant to demonstrate the capsule’s ability to carry astronauts safely. But mid-flight issues forced the craft to remain docked at the ISS—and return to Earth without its crew.
NASA has not released full details about the Starliner malfunction, but this delay transformed a short mission into an unexpectedly long-term stay aboard the station.
“We’re still floating in the capsule in the ocean, and my neck starts hurting,” Wilmore said. “We hadn’t even been extracted yet.”
The astronauts are now back on their feet—but their ordeal underscores the serious physical toll of space travel and the critical need for reliable transport systems for future crewed missions.
Boeing and NASA continue to investigate the Starliner mishap.
